Face Your Fate
by Gerik's Angel
Summary: COMPLETE!Nadir tries to convince Erik has indeed done the right and unselfish thing to do let Christine go.Yet,Erik doesn't believe he has, rather,the opposite.What is life without love, after all? Upon rash decision,Erik decides to correct the situation
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything POTO

Welcome, my good readers and hopefully reviewers!.  
As is my style of writing, I like to blend the movie, and my favorite two Phantom books - Kay's and Leroux's. This story is no exception. I adore the movie, but I dont like Erik's lair. Therefore, you can imagine the lair in this story as Leroux's. If you havent read the book, just imagine the same thing, with another bedroom, a bath, and a kitchen...oh yes, and the lovely, yet deadly hot torture chamber.

**Face Your Fate**  
_'Let you Darker side give in...'_

Introduction:

"I'm proud of you, Erik. You did what was right and what was proper instead of letting your selfishness get in the way. Think of it - she'll be happy now. You wont have to worry about that. The Vicomte is a good, lovesick boy. They'll never have to worry about money - she'll never starve or go without. You did right." Nadir said, sitting across from Erik in his apartment, his back to the fireplace. Erik, shadows playing on his face, continued to look tortured. His hands were raised to his forehead, hiding his emotional eyes. He had been sitting in silence for so long, not uttering a word. It was starting to even scare Nadir. Surely Erik must have something to say! Finally, after what seemed like a thousand eternities, he spoke.

"You say you're proud, what I did was right by...society. Do you still know nothing about me, Daroga? My life is now worthless. Life has no meaning at all because of what I have done. I am hollow inside, now as ugly there as I am on the surface. I was foolish to let her go...and yet..."

"And yet you know she is happy."

Erik looked up at him in pure anguish, then stood up. "You are little help to my misery, Daroga. I suppose I'll just have to find my own way to cope."

Poor Nadir...he knew nothing of what Erik's true intentions were as he walked out of his door...

Nights, days, each filled with darkness - they all melted into each other. Erik found trying to sleep useless, and trying to compose music failed him for the first time. Each night he wrestled with himself, trying to convince his mind that he should be happy - Christine was happy, so should he. For years, he lived through her - when she was upset, so would he; he'd pace and his heart would ache until she would be better again. When she cried, tears of his own could fill his lake. And when she sang in rejoice, he'd be there to make his organ sing in harmony. Now she's happy, she has everything she needs - so should he.

Then why, deep inside, as the days went by, could he not convince himself that she really was happy? What if she wasn't?

One day too many being alone in the darkness with nothing to look forward to made him make his next decision so irrationally - he'd just have to find out for himself how she was fairing these days. And then, only then, could he put his heart to rest.


	2. Chapter 2

Erik originally planned to go see Madame Giry. Surely, with her daughter being the best friend of Christine, she'd know something. But when he reached there, he saw an open window and a young voice floating out. Meg's; and she was speaking in the hushed, excited voice she saved for just one person - Christine. He hated to lower himself to eavesdropping, but how lower could he get when his life was worthless? It had only been two or three weeks since the fire of the opera house and when Christine was taken from him, yet still the thought of her being right on the other side of the wall made his heart lurch and wish that he could see her again.

"Oh Christine, enough with the small talk; mother is away now. Tell me, how is life, now that you are living in a fancy home and engaged to the handsome Vicomte?" Meg asked, squealing at the end of her sentence.

"The home is wonderful. Never have I lived in such a house."

"And Raoul?"

"He is very sweet to me. Patient as well. It seems I just cant catch on to being in the eye of high society; off stage, I mean." Christine's beautiful voice answered, yet it was said with only half of her heart. Something was surely plaguing her. Luckily, not only did Erik pick up on this, but so did Meg.

"Christine...what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing Meg. Everything is fine."

"You're a beautiful singer, Christine - the voice of an angel. You're simply gorgeous. And you're the sweetest thing ever! But...you are a terrible liar. What is wrong that you are trying to hide?"

Christine seemed to hesitate, her pattern in breathing more heavy now, feeling as if she was trapped. "It's just...I'm not used to this life! It's so complicated. And Raoul is always gone; busy somewhere. I'm alone in a big house all day. And I've found out that it's not proper to hold conversations other than demands and directions with the servants. I'm lonely - always have I been around dozens of girls at every moment of the day, whether I wished it or not. Now...I'm not."

"It's a big change for you. But you'll get used to it."

"That's just it - I would be used to it already, if Raoul was..."

"If Raoul was what?"

"Home. There, with me. He buys me presents each day, but hardly ever delivers them himself. He stops in for a few minutes, then leaves, as if he had put in his time now. As if...now that he has me, he don't have to put in so much effort. I thought it would change...but it hasn't. And his parents! Oh, I can see in their eyes they hate me with a passion. At least his mother does. She's always making nasty comments - hidden in meaning, but plain to me. They hurt!" Christine sighed. "I just wish things could be simpler - like things used to be."

"But Christine...when has things ever been simple for you?"

"When I was back in the opera house...just last year, it was still so simple."

"How so? You still had a phantom stalking you!"

"Oh Meg...he wasn't a phantom to me. He was-"

"You're Angel of Music. I know."

"No...he was more than that. He was like...my guardian light. He was like the person I wanted to be with forever, but also like my father at the same time. He had so many traits like my father. And his voice! It was so beautiful, with the power to overcome any of my sorrows at any given time."

"Christine...what is it that you say?"

"Do not be so hasty to your conclusions, Meg. You're mind is thinking many strange thoughts that I assure you are not true. I'm just saying...things weren't so hard back then as you would believe them to be. Ask your mother; she knows who the Phantom really is."

Erik turned away, shocked at all he had heard. Christine had assured Meg that she had no intentions or feelings for him any longer...but that emotion in her voice...was it of longing? And how sad was her voice when she spoke of the Vicomte! She wasn't happy! Not truly; de Changy was failing her now. Did he not know what he was doing? How he had to care for his new fiancé like a precious, fragile flower that only flourishes if cared and tended to? Christine would surely wither if abandoned. She was surely withering inside now.

It was then when it hit Erik...the Vicomte had failed her after promising her eternal happiness. Erik had let them be together so she could be granted that happiness. Therefore, because de Changy failed her...so did he.

Angered fists formed as he gritted his teeth. He had given the Vicomte what he wanted - and he didn't care for Christine as he promised. Now, he would do things over. He'd make her happy. She'd learn to be happy - with him. It was time he stopped trying to do the 'right' thing, and go back to how he used to do them - his way!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

He sat in waiting, hunched over in the shadows of the large, white Victorian city home. Christine had returned here a few hours ago, though her light only went out a little while ago. Even with the healthy time lapse, he still wasn't sure if she'd be asleep well enough for his plan to carry out. Yet his joints started to grow too stiff to care whether he was caught now or not, so he climbed the tree that led to her window.

Peering in, he saw Christine in deep sleep on her bed, the moon lighting her face and glistening in her hair.

This was his chance. He looked around to make sure he saw no prying eyes with guns. Seeing none, he slipped into the bedroom...

OoOoOoO

Christine started to come out of her dreams. She smiled as she stretched her limbs, then opened her eyes. At first, she thought nothing of her surroundings. Then the shock of it made her sit up as fast as lightening. Stripping her legs of the scarlet sheets, she swung them over the swan bed and started to run her bare feet over the stone floor until she stood at the top of the stairss, staring at Erik as he played the same four notes on his organ.

"Why I am here?" She demanded loudly, but Erik didn't even flinch by the suddeness of her voice, as if he had been waiting for it.

"Shh...I almost perfected this." He said instead, with such a relaxed tone. It infuriated her, knowing that he could act like this was no big deal.

"Why am I here?" She screamed, louder and angrier than the first time. Her mind couldn't begin to grasp the concept of her being here. She'd think this was still a dream, if not for the painfully cold flooring beneath her tender feet.

Sighing, he slowly put away his music sheets into a folder, then turned around to sit on the other side of his bench. "I'm finished; I hope that makes you happy. Now, what were you saying?"

Christine stood there with her mouth agape as he gave her a pleasant smile. "Why did you do this?" She asked, knowing her other question would get her no where. "Why did you take me down here? You didn't harm Raoul, did you? Please tell me you didn't!"

"You need not fret, Christine. I assure you that the Vicomte slept soundly last night. This morning however..."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Will you be patient? If you really must know, I'll tell you. Would you like tea, awhile?"

Christine's hands balled in fists. This man had taken her from her bed and dragged her down here for an unknown reason - and now he acts as if nothing happened!

"Tea? Erik, have you gone mad? I want an answer!"

Sighing, he turned to her. "Alright, I'll tell you. Christine...you have terrible judgement. You swore up and down to me that you would be happy-ever-after with your Prince Raoul - that you really loved him. Yet you have doubts. I knew that boy could not take care of you right, but you were so persistent. It's because of this fault and more that I brought you down here - so that you could learn to know yourself, and then evaluate your situation. When I see you of reasonable sense, then I shall let you go free once more. I mean this to be good for you in every way, so please don't take offense."

"Take offense?" She exclaimed. "You just said I had terrible judgement and my life is miserable because of it! Then you say do not take offense?"

"You are too tense, my dear. Let me get you some soothing tea, then we can talk of this more." He said calmly, but Christine refused to let him go so easily.

"I don't want tea, Erik! I want you to take me out of here - now!"

"I'm afraid I can not allow you to do such."

"Then I'm leaving myself!" She said determinedly, walking right by him and going to the gondola. He allowed her to do so much as to drag it from it's rocky shore and into the lake, then try to balance while she got in it. Only after she finally succeeded did he bother to stop her.

"I'm afraid you can not do that, either."

"And why not?" She asked, feeling quite proud of herself.

"Have you forgotten the fire that destroyed this place? If you even make it out of the tunnels that are in shambles, you will not get far on the floors. The fire turned the sturdy wood floors to ash - step on them at all, and you shall fall to your death. If you don't believe me, you can trust my word that I have found a few unfortunate souls that tried to do such from above, just to come crashing down. If you still don't believe me...well, allow your memory to serve you. Your dressing room was destroyed, as well as the ballet dormitories. You know that there were a few young girls that did not participate in my wonderful opera, and they did not make it out in time."

Christine bowed her head, knowing this was true. Three girls that she had known since she first came to this opera house had died tragically in the fire. Remembering this, she got out of the small boat and put it back on shore - there was no escape that way.

"All the tunnels can not be destroyed - how do you get in and out?"

"No, not all of them are. Only the ones people such as yourself know about. There are certain ones that only I am aware of. Well, there was one that survived...funny it should be the pathway to the torture chamber..."

"You're really going to keep me here?" She asked softly, feeling more defeated.

"Not forever...unless you'd want it to be." Was Erik's ending statement, before he started to walk away, leaving Christine to deal in her own way the cold truth. She was trapped.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Christine decided that she'd make it difficult for Erik in the easiest way - she'd be furious at him. Locking the door to her room, she sat with a puff on the edge of the bed, bound to stay there no matter what he said...unless it was that she could go free. She wondered of Raoul; the terror in his eyes when he found out she was missing. The frantic action he took, yelling orders to search the burnt opera house, just to find that there was no way to go in at all. His face, stricken in grief when he too, realized the same cold fact - that Christine was trapped - no way to reach her, and no way for her to escape.

Erik knocked on her door a few hours later. "The least you can do is open the door to eat my food. This is the third tray that has gone wasted. If you wish to die, do not starve yourself to death. Not only is it extremely painful, but all my good food is going to waste. I always have a punjab lasso around in case I need it. That works a lot faster and with less pain."

Christine cursed the joking tone he kept in his voice as he said those words. How could he be enjoying himself when she was so miserable?

Instead of answering, she kicked out her foot, which made impact with something metal that fell. It made a clattering noise as it rolled on the hard floor. When it stopped, she heard Erik sigh and walk away. She waited until she could hear the sweet sound of the organ before she crept to the door and silently opened it. One by one she took the trays to her bed, then shut and locked the door again. She ate eagerly, allowing herself to do so now that she had made her point to Erik. He now knew beyond a doubt that she was furious at him for doing what he has, and that she was going to be difficult until she was freed again.

Once finished with her food, she replaced the trays and dishes back outside her door. By this time, she figured it must be late, so she left the door open a crack so she could fall asleep to the welcoming organ's music.

OoooooooooooooooooO

Erik's head shot up from his music. Did he hear a scream? Finally convincing himself that it was nothing, he started to play his organ again, when he heard a louder scream.

"Erik! Erik!"

Rushing to Christine's room, following her screams of terror, he flung open the door and lit the candles in the small room. When the room was lit, he saw Christine standing at the head of her bed, her arms wrapped around her body tight.

"What made you scream?" He asked, bewildered.

"A rat! There's a rat in here!" She shrieked. Erik shook his head - he had forgotten Christine could be so squeamish about such things that he wouldn't even give a second thought to.

"There hasn't been rats in your room for a long time. Are you sure?" He asked, now calm again.

"Of course I am! I saw a long shadowy thing creep through my door when I was falling asleep!"

"Where is it?"

Christine pointed to the corner. Erik put down his candle and headed to the indicated place.

"You're not going to...touch it, are you?" She asked as he searched.

"Unless you want it as a bed partner tonight, I suppose I must." Erik said in an impatient voice that made her not say another word. Finally, she saw him swoop down and catch something.

"What? This is...this is no rat!" Erik exclaimed, then laughed.

"What is it then?"

"It's only Ayesha!"

"What's an Ayesha?"

Erik held up the Siamese cat for her to see. "My cat. I've had her for years - surely you must have seen her before."

Christine shook her head. "Never."

"Well, you probably just mistook her for a rat like this time. She's just looking for the rats you hate. Must be hungry."

"She eats rats?" Christine exclaimed.

"Why do you think she's so happy here? Besides, it keeps my lair free of such nuisance." With that, Erik bent down and let Ayesha go. At first, she just stood there. Then something caught her eye and she ran like lightning out of the room.

"May I be of any more service to you, madame?" Erik asked, walking to the door.

Christine shook her head no, so he blew out the candles and shut the door, leaving her to te dark.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOooO


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

The next morning Christine rose to her always dark room. She lit candles, then walked to her closet, where she leafed through the many dresses, skirts, and blouses until she came upon the one she thought matched her mood - a black skirt and a dark grey blouse - the only dark colored clothes in the whole closet. Taking these and various undergarments, she bundled them in her arms and ran to the little room with the white tub. She let the water run in the bath as she listened to the organ play out it's unending song, then stepped into the warm water that cleansed her aching heart and melted her anger.

OooO

"Stay in there any longer, Christine, and you'll be frozen solid in there. If you don't mind, I rather not fish you out." She heard Erik yell through the door in his odd sense of humor. Christine blushed - she had fallen asleep, and the water was terribly chilly. It must have been at least two hours since she came in.

Ignoring Erik, she quickly got out and dried off, then put on her dark clothes. She felt much better, almost peaceful in this night, but wasn't bound to let Erik know and give him ideas. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Erik at his organ bench, looking as if he was going to try to talk to her. Noticing this, she ran for the shelter of her room, and locked the door again.

When she did so, she heard a thunderous sound of a fist contacting with many low ivory keys.

"Erik!" Christine screamed. Just like the night before, Erik found himself running to her defense.

"Yes?"

"There's another rat!" Christine said, frantic and in the same position as before.

"Are you sure?"

"It was black!"

Erik began searching, then found the cause of her scream. He held I t up in his hands for her to see.

"Still, it is only Ayesha. Same beige color and all."

"Well...it was a shadow upon her then."

Erik let the cat go and shooed her away. "For pity's sake, Christine - I know you do not like me very much, but stop trying to give me a heart attack or burst my eardrums when you scream like so. Just shut your door if you don't like my cat!" He said, annoyed, then left, slamming the door to prove his point. Christine laid down and pulled the sheets up to her chin with a sinking feeling inside, knowing that he was not angry about what he professed. She knew her behavior towards him was the true reason, and even though what he did justifies her actions, she still felt terrible. All her life he had cared for her; now she was repaying him poorly - she had always repaid him poorly.

Christine fell asleep that night, wondering how long she could stand betraying the both of them.

Erik dragged his feet. "Damn that cat!" He muttered as he walked into Christine's room as she panicked. Just as he was about to go in through the door, he spotted Ayesha hop onto the top of his organ. Anxious to make Christine stop screaming, he forgot about shooing her off his prized possession and went into the little bedroom.

"Look, if you want my attention, all you got to do is get out of this room, because I know you're not screaming about a rat - Ayesha is out there, and she is insuring the fact that no rats cross your path while you remain down here. So why must you scream?" Erik asked in an annoyed tone as he found Christine huddled at the top of her bed, once again.

"No, Erik - it's no rat. I hear a voice! A man's voice coming from the far wall!" She cried out, truly frightened. Erik groaned and crossed the room quickly, putting his ear against it. Sure enough, he could hear a man's yell, though inaudible.

"Torture chamber." He said in passing, walking out of the room. He heard Christine jump off her bed to follow, and she was soon at his heels.

"What do you mean...torture chamber?" She asked in a soft, scared voice.

"Just what I said. You knew I had one." His voice, in turn, was more gruff and annoyed even still. He recognized that voice, and knew from now on things would get even more complicated, and his headaches would be the only thing that would stick with him for Lord only knew how long.

He climbed up the little ladder and peered in the window. "Turn on the switch over there." He said, looking down at Christine. She found what he indicated, and turned on something that flashed brightly in the room below them.

"Erik?" She asked hesitantly, but he shushed her as he looked in. She leaned against the wall, listening.

"Erik, let me out of here! I know what you've done, and I'm going to have my say about this and bring you back to your senses! When you said you'd find your own way to deal with Miss Daae's choice against you, I didn't think you would go so far! Let me out of here now, Erik!"

Erik threw back his head and laughed at the sweating, heavyset man. "I'm surprised, my good daroga - I thought you'd be here two or three days ago when I got her." He answered with humor.

"Perhaps I could have reached here a lot sooner and into your actual lair if someone hadn't set fire to the theater when they angrily decided to ruin their own opera! You should see your precious tunnels now."

"I have seen them, and my affairs and my choices are of my own, Daroga, my own. They have nothing to do with you."

"Don't they? I seem to recall a vow that you would never harm a person unless out of self defense. Miss Daae was simply peacefully sleeping in her room - you have no reason to harm her!"

"Harm her? Who said anything of the such? You of all people should know that I wouldn't do so."

"Not physically, maybe - but in others, definitely. The poor girl must be completely emotionally distraught by now and mentally ill with worry. Why could you not just leave her be, Erik?"

"Christine is just fine - she spent two or three days together here before - this is no different."

"Except that she is trapped here and being held against her will! These are no longer harmless singing lessons! Send her home and let her be for good, Erik, or I shall have the police on you faster that you can swing that punjab around my neck!"

"Funny, is it not, that you should be the one to think that you are in charge here, when I am the one holding the key to your life at the moment, and could easily shut this window to let you bake until you hang yourself from insanity. I know you know first hand how it works - and how many people are driven to it after not long. A few hours is all it takes for some people, especially some Persians." Erik commented cruelly.

"This is how you'd repay a debt? I sacrifice my life and eight years to waste so you can kill me in a torture chamber that is like the one you would have died in for the sport of the Khanum? Or have you forgotten so easily her cruelties towards you and her demands to have you killed?"

"I must ask you to silence the matter in front of innocent ears." Erik simply said.

"You know that you would not kill me, Erik - just as much as I do. Let me out."

Erik shut off the light and went to fetch a key, then opened a door that Christine never even noticed before. Nadir breathed heavily in the cool air, wiping his brow and bending over slightly to calm himself.

"I may let you free from my torture chamber time and again, but do not assume it is from my undying gratitude. It is simply because I'd have to dispose of your body, and it would be quite an ordeal to drag such a heavy thing up so far, in addition to having no where to put you now that there are no rafters and you are too heavy to lay on a floor - you'd fall right through. But do not push me, daroga - if I must do so, I shall. My gratitude does not last for anyone."

Nadir bowed his head simply as if he was shrugging it off, then went to sit in one of Erik's chairs. Christine simply stood in the shadows, observing the situation. It was at this point when she decided that she had heard enough bizarre things, so she ran swiftly to her room, not even stopping when Nadir yelled out to her. She saw Erik shrug when she side glanced at him.

"You cant do anything with that girl anymore. The rich boy has gone and ruined her." She heard him comment just before she slammed the door on such words and locked it loudly.

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	6. Chapter 6

"Food's out here when you feel like lowering your fierce temper." Erik yelled through the door.

Christine remained silent and seated for quite a while until she allowed herself to open the door. But it was not just the tray that she found - the persian she saw before stood there, patiently waiting.

"May I speak with you for a few minutes?" He asked her with a kind smile. She cocked her head, looking at him with interest.

"I know you...you're that Persian that the ballet girls used to talk about - the one that roamed the hallways. No one seemed to know why he was there...or if he wasn't a ghost himself."

Nadir chuckled softly as he walked past her and into her room. "It was I, but I am very much alive, I assure you. And I was here simply to watch over Erik and make sure he was keeping to the vow he swore to me long ago."

Christine shut the door and walked over to the straightback chair he was sitting in, opposite of the bed. "What vow?"

"To never kill again unless out of self defense."

Christine sighed. "He sure didn't keep to that. Many people died at his hand, that I know."

"As do I. It's why I'm so hard on him."

She shook her head as she bowed it. "It's not just him to blame. I am also responsible for those deaths. He...he did it all for me. To help me. If I never met him...then..."

"Miss Daae! How could you say such a thing? Erik kills because it's how he raised himself. He takes revenge upon the world for hating him and his face. You're just an excuse he uses to take out his anger."

Christine felt a pang of hurt fill her heart when the man sitting there said she was nothing more than an excuse. Surely she was more to Erik than that, was she not? He wouldnt take her decision so hard if she was just an excuse, would he? Shaking the thoughts off, she studied the man with the name Nadir. "Why did you come here?"

"To convince Erik to free you."

"You didn't do a very good job."

Nadir chuckled. "No, not yet. But I will. Erik has very little tolerance - he can't stand my nagging for very long. It never fails - he'll do what ever he must to shut me up. We just wait until that time ."

"And until then?"

"Until then, I'll help you cope with being down here, and making sure Erik is proper towards you and fills your needs. I'll take care of you - you are now my responsibility until I can personally return you to your fiancé."

Christine's face fell at the mention of Raoul. "How is he?"

"The Vicomte? Terrible, as to be expected. They're trying to find a way to get through."

"Why did you not show them?"

"I only know the way to the torture chamber. Erik would kill anyone who ended up there. But don't you worry, Miss Daae - I'll look after you until they find their way down. Erik went to far this time, and I will not condone this."

OooooooooooooooooO

Christine awoke, the same as she had the last four days that Nadir had been there - to a hot cup of fresh tea and some morning food specially arranged on the plate, all sitting by her night stand. She had been here for eight days now, and strange enough, it seemed so much more...almost in a good way. She now could hear hammering and wood being ripped up all through the day as hired men worked on repairing the floors so they could come rescue her. It was her constant source of hope, as Nadir put it. Each day Nadir came in and talked to her, making sure everything was to her liking, and that she wasn't too upset about what Erik had done. Now that her initial anger had passed, she didn't mind being here all that much. Of course she missed Raoul, and her friends, but other than that, this wasn't so bad. She had stayed here for days at a time before, and happily.

What plagued her was the reason why she was down here. Erik told her it was from her own bad sense, yet he never talked to her or helped her see error in her ways. She just stayed in her room, and he let her continue to do so.

Or was that part of the test? Erik was always testing her, seeing what she was made of. Was this no different? Sighing, she sat up and began to eat, wondering why the masked man that played a part in every dream was always so difficult and complicated.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Erik watched her as he swayed back and forth in the silent rocking chair by the fire. It was the first time that Christine had ventured out since Nadir was caught in the torture chamber. Inwardly, he cursed himself for telling her of such a room. How was he to win her good graces if she thought him still a monster? It seemed to be the only part of him that he allowed her to see of late.

He studied her, wondering if Nadir had been right. He had told him that rest assure, Christine was miserable. But then why didn't she seem like such?

She walked back and forth, balancing on the ledge of where stone met still waters. She'd walk up the stone stairs, then all the way to the other side, then back again. Each time Erik expected her to go back in her room and slam the door, but she never did. She wasn't nervously pacing, just deep in thought. Her footing was sure and slightly playful, taking wider and wider steps, sometimes hopping from one foot to another as she remained balance. Years of being tutored by Madame Giry made her very wise in her movements, very sure. But why walk along the water's edge when she couldn't swim? It was a well known fact to both of them that she couldn't . Erik had heard the story all too many times of when she was a child, and her beloved scarf slipped into the ocean, carried upon a gust of sudden wind. She couldn't get it; her father never taught her to swim. He was always more worried on what she would do on land; singing and dancing for their money like gypsies as he played his violin. Never did he bother with such things as swimming. So when the scarf fell into the rapid waters, all she could do was cry until a boy not much older than she came to her rescue and jumped in to save it. Despite the fact that Christine loved that day, Erik despised it. That little boy turned out to be­ a foolish, lovesick, and rich young Vicomte. That boy grew up to be his number one rival and Christine's sweetheart, Raoul.

Shaking the unpleasant story from his mind, Erik returned to his original thought; why walk the dangerous edge? Was she looking for escape? Thinking that Erik would return her if she was sick? Or was it she was trying to capture his attention, make him uneasy? There were surely other ways to do such, and not as risky. But then why did she do it?

Just to see what would happen, Erik began to softly hum a lullaby. It was so soft that he was surprised she could actually hear it, but it was easy to see that she did. Christine stopped walking, almost directly in front of him, and slowly shut her eyes. As he continued, she sank to the floor. Her bare feet dipped into the cold water, but she seemed not to feel it's temperature.

"Erik, I-" Nadir's broken sentence broke the beautiful spell. Christine's eyes opened, Erik's song stopped. Both looked at him expectantly, as he surveyed the situation. Then in a huff, Nadir made a beeline for the kitchen. Erik shrugged, and, after a hesitant pause, Christine stood up and walked to her bedroom, the lock on the door was the only sound that could be heard from her.

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	7. Chapter 7

Erik came out of the kitchen the next day, carrying a cup of tea to his organ, when he spotted something quite unusual. There, in the middle of the lake, was Christine, floating in the gondola. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing relaxed and peaceful.

Hiding his grin, Erik paced to the organ and put aside his cup. Quickly warming up his fingers, he started to play a song, sweet and beautiful, yet tragic and sad. There were no words to this number, but it needed none. It was awestriking in it's own right, and could stand on it's own feet. Christine seemed to notice instantly, for her eyes opened, now staring at the unsmooth and strange looking ceiling as she listened, her breathing more rapid as Erik played faster, as if she could let the music live in her for a while. The faster he played, the heavier and quicker her breathing came, the more scattered her gaze darted.

Erik was quite enjoying this little experiment, when Nadir slammed the door to his room. Erik, startled as well as Christine, whom nearly capsized the little boat in her sudden fright, stared back at him. It was an annoying de ja vu. And, as last time, Nadir simply stomped into the kitchen, noticeably angry. And before Erik could turn back around, the gondola was back on shore, and Christine was back in her room. Suddenly, just like that, their short time she allowed with him each day was gone.

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Erik played a gorgeous melody on the organ, doing his best to lure Christine out of her room. He succeeded, and he was soon watching her behind him by constantly side glancing. She was sitting on the floor upon a Persian rug. Her skirt, a pale blue, was spread all around her legs in a circle. With her hands in her lap, and her head tilted to the side as she listened to him play, she looked like she was a painting from an old fairytale come to life.

He kept playing as he watched her slowly inch closer to him now and then. It was small movements that she made, as if she was afraid to disturb the magic. Even so, in no time at all, she surprised Erik by gracefully sitting beside him on the bench. Her head was bowed, but her eyes open as she watched his fingers grace the ivory keys, as if he touched nothing more than air. Encouraged, Erik played a more complicated piece, yet it still sounded of the same previous melody, just with more notes and ties. No longer being discreet, he stared full on at her as she was seemed to be caught in between dreams, only partly aware of her surroundings. He watched, just as much captivated by her as she was of his music. He was just about to start to hum the tune to her, when that same door opened and slammed shut, an angry persian standing before them. He glared at Erik, then huffed off to the kitchen.

But this time it was too much. Erik stopped playing and left Christine's side as he hurried after Nadir.

Christine had the sudden feeling that she shouldn't be there. In awkwardness, she hurried back to her room, not wanting to hear the angry shouts, for if she had stayed, there would have been many to hear.

"What is the matter with you? Why must you act like this each day?" Erik asked angrily.

"Because I see what you are doing, and you just get worse each day!" Nadir answered, his dark face turning an odd color of red.

"What I'm doing? I'm trying to make Christine's stay less miserable! I'm trying to get her out of her room so she isnt so upset all the time. I know that she can be quite fragile."

"No Erik, that's not it. If you were so worried about her well being, you wouldnt have done this in the first place. And even if you're just realizing this of late, you can still set her free. No, her well being isn't anywhere on your mind. Don't think I don't know what you're really doing."

"Then what is it, Nadir? What is it that you think I'm really doing?" Erik was getting enough anger built up to quickly match the daroga's.

"You're trying to make her fall in love with you! You think if she does, she wont want to leave. And that's the perfect plan for you. After all, why would you care if a certain Vicomte is crushed and heart broken? You nearly killed him before! And why would you care how disappointed Madame Giry would be if you go through with it? She knew it was bound to happen sometime, and she didn't really care for you all that much. She wasn't your true friend, right? It's all about you, isnt it, Erik? I was wrong before - you haven't changed a bit. You're still stubborn, selfish, and only thinking of yourself!"

"Daroga..." Erik said in a warning tone, but Nadir didn't care. He kept going.

"If you really loved Miss Daae, you would let her go, instead of keeping her in this cage! She doesn't lo-"

"Nadir!" Erik yelled in rage. "Do not forget your place! This is my home you got yourself stuck in, and I make the rules. If you do not wish to follow them or respect me, then tell me now. Let me fetch my punjab lasso and spare everyone of the headaches right away."

Nadir, though Erik's eyes glowed angrily and intimidatingly into his, stood his ground and stared back for effect until he walked away and into his room.

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Christine twisted the fabric of her skirt as she bit her lip. Erik played a rich melody on his organ, though she began to curse the beauty of it. She wanted out of this room, but knew how the situation out there would end. Was that all Erik ever did? Play and eat, with the occasional haunting of a poor opera house? Now that the opera house was out of commission, there was even less for him to do, especially since he already had her here and where he needed her. With Nadir residing in the lair, she knew there was little Erik could do without upsetting his old friend, including speaking with her. It was nice, having Nadir to talk to, but it seemed he was starting to become the nuisance, and Erik becoming whom she wanted to speak with. Perhaps if she could just talk to him, show him how much she loved Raoul and why she wanted to return to her true home, then he'd let her go! But with Nadir interrupting them always, there was no such luck.

Suddenly, her thought were broken by a purring as something rubbed against her side. It was Ayesha, finally not so afraid of the newcomer who tended to be easily frightened.

She petted the beige cat, grateful to have some company. She reached over to her side table and took her small cream pitcher and poured the white silk drink onto a shallow bowl that she hadn't used yet, then placed it on the floor. Ayesha immediately hurried to it, eager to lap it up. Christine smiled. Perhaps it was possible for her to make at least one friend here...even if that friend wasn't human.

But even small, friendly cats couldn't confine the most curious of creatures for long...

Even though she was visited twice by Nadir, and Ayesha seemed to float in and out of her room many times, Christine could not stand being in one room. It was nearing suppertime, so she thought she'd wait by the fire and read a book. She did so, with neither Erik or Nadir in sight. Yet the peaceful calm only lasted a few minutes. Soon emerged Erik, who seemed to already know she was there. Even with the high chair's back to him and bathed in shadows, Erik knew precisely where she was. He walked by her, slipping a tea cup and saucer in her hands with one graceful movement, not even slowing his pace. He had another cup of tea for himself, which he took over to the organ.

"Are you busy?" He asked, his voice very matter-of-fact.

She looked up from her book to look over at him, now in front of her. "Hmm? Oh, no - I'm just reading. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking that since you are already down here, that you might want to continue your singing lessons through your stay."

Christine offered a small smile. "I'd like that...but lessons would be of little use now."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not singing anymore. Not for public or money, least ways. Raoul says...he says it's not fitting for a Vicomtess to be publicly entertaining. People in spotlight tend to have bad reputations, and I must agree to his logic."

"But you have no bad reputation! You are innocent in every way! Your job does not effect that." Erik said loudly, seemingly offended for her.

"I may be innocent, but I do have a very bad reputation after all the deaths and notes."

"That's different! That was my own wrong doing!" He said, now standing up and abandoning his tea. "You can not let de Changy do this to you!"

"He is doing nothing to me. He is only looking out for me and doing what is best."

"Really? How can quitting be the best thing for you? Your father found much pride and joy in your voice, it was his dream to see you be as you were. Your whole life you've trained for the stage - I taught you for years! For what? So you could forsake it for the Vicomte and his foolish love?" A fury had built and was now overflowing. But it was not all anger Christine sensed; but hurt too.

"Erik..."

"No! He is ruining your life, and you are allowing it! You think you want it! For these thoughts of yours, you are down here. Those are the bad choices that you have been making that I have brought you here to reevaluate. But have you thought at all about those things? No, you haven't. All you worry about is how quickly you can get back up to civilization, because this place is too low for you. You are, after all, the future Vicomtess de Changy. This used to be a palace of music to you that you used to love to escape to. Now it is nothing more than a tomb for me in your eyes. I gave you a room, set this place up perfectly for you. I bought you clothes and all you needed. This was once your second home - a real home, not just an opera house dormitory room that you shared with dozens of ballet rats!"

"Erik, I understand why you are upset, but-"

"No, you have no idea! Don't stand before me and act as if you understand what I'm going through, or what my situation is! You know nothing, Christine Daae! Yes, your father died when you were young, your mother even younger. Yes, you were forced into an opera house to develop your skills as your father had always wished. Because of these things, are you under the belief that your life has been so painful and sorrowful? You know nothing of real pain and sorrow, Christine, and every day I've known you you've proven that more to me. You know nothing!"

With that said, Erik rushed off to the kitchen once again, following the new smell of fresh smoke. Christine sat, her head bowed in shame from her chiding. Erik had come to her with good intentions, and she had managed to mess them all up, and hurt him even more.

She stood up, her book on her lap falling to the floor with a light thud. Her heart aching, she left her tea by the chair and walked slowly to her room, her hand softly hitting the door shut. It swung on it's hinges with a squeal, but the latch didn't click. Christine let it be as she walked in a daze to her bed and laid down on her stomach, burying her head in the fluffy pillows. They waited a few moments until her body adjusted to the curves of the bed, but sure enough the sobs came rushing up to wrack her chest, fill her eyes, and soak her pillow.

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	8. Chapter 8

The next day, Christine was tense as she finally allowed herself to emerge from her bedroom. She saw Erik sitting at his organ, head bowed low. For the first time, she saw him sit before the instrument, but let it be in silence. She walked a few feet from him timidly, waiting to see if he'd speak to her. His head lifted after a few moments, but he did not turn to her. Instead, he spoke, staring at the wall in front of him.

"Shall we or not?" Was his simple, curious greeting to her.

"Shall we what?"

"Proceed in singing lessons, of course. You never did give me an answer yesterday."

Christine quickly looked away from him, uncomfortable about speaking of the day before. "If we may do so peacefully, then I'd love to continue my lessons while I remain here." She answered in a soft, whispery voice.

"Very well. Now, I'm sure you know well that the dancers and singers that formally worked here were transported across town to that new theater. I hear they are putting on Hannibal, so perhaps you'd like to sing from that."

"But you are mistaken. They are producing Faust, not Hannibal."

"It is very rare that I am mistaken, my dear. Besides, with these surroundings, I'd prefer we not do Faust. I never liked the opera very much anyway. Hannibal is a prettier sounding opera - of rejoicing and of the such. Pick a song from that - a song that Ellisa sings."

Christine looked at him with a strange look, trying to figure the man before her out. When she couldn't, she sighed and picked Think of Me. Upon telling Erik her choice, he began to make the organ produce the carefree music of longing and promise, bitter, yet very sweet. She couldn't help but smile as she began to sing it, remembering a time when Raoul had told her that he fell in love with her all over again the moment she started to sing this very song on stage that night.

When the lovely thought stopped, she looked down at Erik and saw him slowly close his eyes, still playing, his fingers knowing instinctly where to fall upon the different keys. Encouraged by his notion, she sung with more feeling, getting more into the song. He breathed deeper, and no longer were his fingers drifting softly over the keys - now he made them play louder, forcing her to raise her voice in song.

She finished two verses before she watched Nadir slip out of his room. His face registered in surprise and he looked her up and down. Shrugging one shoulder, he turned away from the two and crouched down by the fire, sticking the poker in it to make the flames go higher, and the wood to crackle more.

Surely, she thought, with his oversensitive ears, Erik would have heard Nadir's movements, yet he remained the same as he was, showing no sign of recognition. Satisfied with the dancing flames, Nadir put the poker away, then sat in a straightback chair in the corner and pretended to be interested in the book which he held. Christine knew easily that it was just a disguise, for she could see his dark eyes peering over at the two of them in observation. The song through, Erik never stopped playing, just changed the tune. This time, it was a song that she easily recognized. He was playing the song 'Point of No Return.'

She made no attempt to sing this, shocked that he would even dare to play the tune. Instead, she cleared her throat.

"I'm quite tired. I think I shall retire to my room until dinner." She said, then walked back to her room, Ayesha following behind her. Laying down and pulling the sheets up to her chin, she settled in, but her mind was far from allowing her to sleep. Thoughts whirled in her head faster than a hurricane. She mentally begged them to stop, but to no prevail . Ayesha curled up beside her, and Christine was grateful for the added warmth in the chilly room. When Christine had gone, Erik turned timid eyes upon Nadir, whom he had known was there all along.

"Let her go." Nadir replied to Erik's patient gaze. "She deserves better than this, surely even you can see that! And if her fiancé finds you, he'll lock you up for good...if he doesn't kill you with his bare hands first, that is!"

"The insolent boy couldn't touch me if all his rage was turned on. He's quite the weakling." Erik said, staring at the music sheets before him and correcting any mistakes he may have made as he spoke carelessly.

" Erik, this is kidnapping! It's against the law to keep her here against her will!"

That was all Erik was able to take. He threw his quill down and stood up, pacing quickly to Nadir. "You were once, long ago, a daroga. But we are not in Persia. Even if we were, even if you still had your old job back, the law up there does not apply down here. Have you not noticed that yet? Down here is a whole different world. It's my world. I am it's head, it's sire, king, khan, and lord! I am my own god here! I make the rules - all the rules, and only me, no matter who decides to visit my world. If they do not like my rules, they get thrown into the torture chamber or hung by the punjab - by my own hand. If you want to keep pushing me and want your ultimate fate to arrive early, I shall be more than eager to serve you in such. But unless that is what you want, you will listen to me! You will not stand up to me, or try to threaten or change my own rules!" Erik yelled, yet Nadir was hardly fazed. Too many years had he put up with Erik's temper to be intimidated by it now.

"Fine, don't obey laws. Ignore the world and if you like it, shut yourself in your tomb. But why make Christine? Why make her suffer?"

"Her suffer? God, are you as dense as she? She has the easy role in this, do you not see that? Do you think I volunteered to be her Angel of Music for so many years? She used to walk up and down the hallways at night, by her self, singing away her sorrows and nightmares; searching for something that could never be there. Yet night by night she searched as she sang old songs that her father had raised her with. I was drawn to the hallways - how could I not be? Her voice traveled below her, and her feet made the floorboards above me creak. I came up and listened to her heart wrenching voice, and one day she found me; accused me of being her Angel of Music. Not the one she knows now, but of the one that descended from heaven by her father. She told me all this, then said I must be him, for her father would not lie, nor abandon her. She was only seven, Nadir, and even though I have always despised children for their noise and nuisance, I could not turn her away. I became what she asked so I would not break her fragile heart. Do you think I wished that upon me? I am a genius, a master at all I do; not a nanny! But I did so - for her! Yes, I grew to care for her. Yes, I let myself get carried away irrationally. But I did everything over the years for her!"

"I did not say that what you did was ever wrong. Your intentions at that early stage were very honest. But what you allowed yourself to do was your downfall. You saw the Vicomte come back to claim his love and you were jealous. You competed with him for Christine, and in the end, after hurting the one you care for, you lost it. You were wrong to pursue her love for your own selfish reasons when you can not possibly care for her right."

"Don't you think I know that little fact already, Nadir? Must you keep pointing it out over and over again? But do you think that it is easy; being in love with her? Do you think she is the one who really suffers when in truth it is me? I never wanted to love anyone - I am a genius, working always. I never had time to do anything else. But since Christine came...she's all that matters to me and every single thing else has been pushed aside to make way for her. And for what? So she can love de Changy and mock me! I never wanted to love her...but my mind had no choice in the matter. This was one situation where my mind dared, and could not, trod. I wish to Heaven that I could hate that woman in there. I wish that I had no feelings for her in the slightest. I wish I could be happy that she has found someone that she can love, even if he is not worthy of it. But wishing and praying will get you no where in life, and it is useless to even try. I face the facts, Nadir, and am driven to terrible conclusions that, yes...make me act unreasonable at times. But that does not mean all my actions are unjust and wrong. That does not mean I am cruel and heartless when I bring her here! I can not have her, this I realize now. But that doesn't mean that I can sit back and let her ruin her life just because that life no longer includes me. I am attached to her soul as much as she is now. I feel apart of her, and letting her destroy her life is like watching me die as well."

Nadir sat back in his chair, looking quite stunned at Erik, not sure what to say to such a comment. But it did not matter, for Erik gave him no time to reply. Instead, he swiftly walked away and into the kitchen. He would have rathered the privacy of his own bedroom, but since Nadir now temporarily resided there, he had to settle with the only other room that wasn't completely out in the open.

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Christine awoke to the chilly air and the constant hammering and ripping of the lobby floor above. It was what she always awoke to. Never was there a warm day, never was there peaceful silence. Hoping to escape their racket, she wandered into the next room and ended up standing by the fire, fingering the wood pattern of the simple shelf above it. Softly she sung to herself the lullaby that Erik had written for her when she was just a small girl. It was a song she'd fall asleep to after hours of battling nightmares. It always left her in a blissful peace.

"Hungry?"

The sudden voice startled Christine. She gave Erik a slight, sweet smile, but shook her head.

"How are you not hungry? You barely eat."

"I suppose it is the constant cold here. It freezes my lungs so. I suppose it takes away my appetite."

"You're cold?"

"Are you not?"

Erik paused. "No."

"How could you not?"

He shrugged. "I am used to it now. Come, I'll make you tea to warm you."

With that, Erik walked into the kitchen, and for once, Christine followed. It was a small little room, much like the others though. A fire was lit in a small fireplace. Above it was a cast iron rack, which Erik placed a tea kettle on top of.

He turned to her, looking her straight in her eyes for the first time since the night of the opera house fire. "Are you really as miserable as Nadir says? Are you really that unhappy here with me? This was once your sacred home...is it no longer that at all?" He asked. Anything she might have been harboring against him instantly melted when his burning green eyes searched her soul as he did. Staring back, she felt as if she was battling a storm of violent waves, trying to push her away, yet she remained standing tall. It was frightening, to see him look at her like so. And...it was very frightening to suddenly realize that she still held this man's heart in the palms of her hands, even now.

Blinking, she fought to find words; any words to save her from her drowning silence. "No." was the only thing she was able to mutter.

"Then why does he say you are? You'd know I would never hurt you! You know I'd never do anything to put you in harm's way. Or if I did, I'd be the one to rescue you from it. Surely you know that by now. I may have brought you here, but am I not taking care of you? Making sure you have everything you need? Providing you with things to do? Treating you not as a demon or a monster, but as a simple gentlemen? Have I said one cross word to you, or yelled in anger? Have I stepped from my boundaries even once? No, you do not see sunlight here. There are no fancy shops or the highest grade of food. There is no luxurious furnishings, and there are no Vicomtes, but it is decent, is it not? Do I not provide for those that I take on? Christine, can you not see how I'm trying to keep you happy, even down here? To return you to your carefree self you once were, even if it is only for a few days? Can you not see what I am doing for you?" His words were passionate and spoken in desperate, hoarse whispers. Impulsively, he grabbed her hand and held it between his two, staring intently at her to try and force realization into her, if not by eye contact alone.

Yet she stood, quite stunned by his words and sudden burst of emotion. How do you reply to that? Ironic, she thought, seeing that he hardly said anything that didn't end in a question, yet the reply to them was lost to her. She stood, her hand feeling awkward in his, wanting to melt right through the floor.

Just as she opened her mouth to give him the only words she could think of, Erik quickly let go of her hand and turned back to the kettle, which was hardly ready to be let off. Christine could tell it was merely a distraction, wanting to get away from the situation which he had accidently put his own self into.

Her feet felt like lead as she slowly shuffled out of the room and passed everything else until she was safe in her room, once again returning in a daze. It wasn't long before she heard a light clatter outside of her door, and receding steps; Erik had timidly put her promised tea there for her then quickly walked away.

"I'm sorry." She whispered the words she had wanted to tell him before, yet now to nothing but the chilly air that seeped right through her clothes and skin, and into her heart.

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	9. Chapter 9

"How are you doing today, Miss Daae?" Nadir asked, standing in front of the closed door as Christine ate her breakfast.

"Fine , I suppose."

"Suppose? I'm sure you terribly miss your normal life. Your friends, the city, the theater, the shops..."

Christine shook her head. "I do very much miss Raoul and the rest of my dear friends, but nothing more. I do not care much for fancy shops - I never feel as if I belong there. And...I am at the theater, in a way."

"But what about your new home?"

"Oh, I miss that not at all! I do not like that house! It's so...open and big, yet filled with nothing. No laughter or chatter. And the servants are more like ghost - no one speaks or does anything other than their job. It's why I have never minded this place. It's small, but you know where everyone is. You're together. In a strange way...this home is almost...cozy. Comforting even."

Nadir looked at her like she had gone insane. "You miss the Vicomte, yes?"

"Oh yes! I miss Raoul terribly. But..."

"But what?"

"I don't know. Suddenly...it's like...I can wait to see him a few days more. I'm okay, staying here right now . Maybe, like so many times before, Erik was right about me. Maybe I did make too hasty of decisions."

"Christine?"

She stood up and headed to the door.

"Christine, where are you going?"

"For a walk along the water's edge. Or read a book, perhaps. I'm even in the mood to let my soul soar and sing!" With a big smile, she headed out, Nadir hurrying after her and calling her name.

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Madam Giry watched her daughter pace nervously by the curb of the street. Meg had been frantic and restless for days now, which was, of course, very explainable. Looking behind her, she saw another person sick with worry about Christine. Raoul, clad in a very dirty white shirt and ripped up black pants, was digging through the soot, ash, and crumbling wood. His hair was now a grey color, along with his face and hands from the work. So far, Madame Giry hadn't seen him rest or eat once. He didn't sleep until he passed out from exhaustion. Many workers were helping, but Raoul didn't trust them to work fast or hard enough. If only Christine could see him now; see just how much Raoul truly loved her, despite it all. If Madame Giry ever had doubts about that before, they were erased now.

"I'm so scared, Maman!" Meg burst out in tears as she yelled. Madame Giry welcomed the girl into her arms, whispering words of comfort into the girl's flaxen hair as she looked over at Raoul, who had turned to see what Meg had shouted about. When he realized what, his shoulders drooped and his eyes welled with tears that refused to fall, even still. Then, with a second wind, he started ripping through the old wood to replace it with enough new to get to his beloved.

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Christine stared at Erik, her heart ripping into two. Her old feelings of when that heart of hers was still innocent and blind to all sins of 'the phantom', started to come rushing back. Yet, as she heard the hammering and ripping, she could feel Raoul's presence, and knew her feelings to him were still true. Her mind turned the pages back to that day in the lake, both men's eyes on her, she having to decide their future, her future.

Her gaze turned from Erik to the lake as she headed to it. She kept walking until she stood in the exact spot she had on that fateful day. Her feet were barely in the water, yet enough to wet her dress. She looked across the lake as if the gate was down and Raoul was tied to it once again. She glanced over, not too far from her, and imagined Erik standing there, holding the rope that had the power to end her fiance's life. She felt as if she was placed in that situation again, though she was all alone. She could feel misery's presence starting to shadow upon her. Was it happing all over again? Was this the beginning of reliving the past? Had she not learned her lesson the first time, and was doomed to repeat her mistakes? Perhaps she hadn't; perhaps she still harbored that little voice inside that resided in a place right next to her heart of secret hearts, that had not died when she thought it had. Perhaps it just went to sleep, and was awakening now; that voice that constantly plagued her with the question _'did I do the right thing, or did I make a big mistake for us all?'_

Yes, as surely as she stood here, she knew the voice was well rested and now fully awake. And she knew that the history of not long ago would repeat itself...it was only a matter of time. And with each hammering of the upstairs, that time grew closer.

"You happy now?" Nadir asked angrily at Erik, who was peeking out the kitchen doorway to stare at Christine, who's back was towards him. Yet he sensed something was wrong...

"Erik! Can you not pay attention?" Nadir scolded. Erik snapped out of his trance.

"What?"

"I asked if you were happy now."

"Why? What has changed?"

"What has changed? Christine believes you! She thinks she really has made wrong decisions now!"

"Oh...now that's not good..." Erik said, wincing as he directed his attention on Christine again.

"Of course it's not! She don't-"

"She's getting better...I may have to let her go. I didn't expect her to catch on so quickly and learn her lesson."

"Lesson? Erik, there is nothing wrong with that girl! She has nothing to learn but what amazing things can come out of a productive marriage, like the one she is embarking upon. She has absolutely nothing to learn from you! You are a destructive dead end when she is concerned!"

But Erik heard none of this. "How do you know that is what she thinks?"

"Well, she told me! Said you were right many other times, so you're most likely right about this!"

"Not good...not good at all. I might have to set her free quite soon if she keeps going like this. Why'd I have to pick one that is wise and understanding?" He said, though he simply talked to himself out loud, not to Nadir, whom stared at him as if stunned.

"You're not serious, are you? You're not really going to let her think that her recent decisions are why she's here, are you?"

"Why not? It's the truth."

"It is anything but! She's here for your own selfish reasons - because you cant let her go, because you cant stand the thought of your life without her. This has nothing to do with Christine, except the fact that you seem to believe you cant live without her!"

"What would you know about it, Nadir? If you had the chance to keep your wife with you, no matter how she wanted to leave, you would have. You would have kept her in pain instead of dying peacefully if it was your choice! You would have taken the same action as I have done, and do not tell me you would not, because you did so with your own son! You hated me because I put him out of his pain - you rathered him to wither away than to be without all his agony - for your benefit, Nadir - not his! So don't stand there and say how much better you are than I - for, in all realization, you are exactly the same as me. You did the same - you are on the same level as me. So stop your preaching and go sit in your room until Christine's rescuers come!"

Nadir knew better than to push Erik any farther; already he was beyond his limits. But besides that, Erik's words had hit home. He knew that everything his friend had said was...true. Because of the deep anguish welling in his chest and the words ringing in his ears, he did go to Erik's bedroom and shut the door, not to speak again until he was out of this hell hole.

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	10. Chapter 10

Christine sat on a stool by the lake, a book in her hand, as she watched Nadir stir two cups of freshly made tea. She glanced over at Erik, who silently sat at the organ as he marked up his music sheets with corrections.

Nadir smiled brightly at her as he lowered the silver tray with two cups on it. She reached up to get one, but he pulled it back. "Other one, dear. You wouldn' want to be drinking that one, now would you?" He said, as if he just told a humorous joke. She took the other, trying not to look at him strangely. Then it occurred to her - he had seen her watching him, and must think she knew something that she really did not.

To her surprise, the other cup of tea did not go to him, but to Erik. When the tray was empty, he quickly put it down, then grabbed a book casually off the shelf and walked to the corner straight ack chair and anxiously watched Erik. Each time Erik would yawn, or rub his eye, Nadir would get a strange gleam in his eyes. He would lean farther out of his chair, obviously waiting for Erik to do some thing. Yet Erik remained unaware of his actions though Christine made sure she noticed all of them.

Finally, after a large yawn, Erik announced that he was suddenly quite tired and would retire to his room. After his door clicked closed, Nadir threw down his book and stood up.

"Come on - we're going to get you out of here." He said. She couldn't help it if she looked at him like he was quite insane...but she started wondering if he really had!

"What do you speak of, Nadir?"

"The tunnels - we're going to clean them up so you can get out."

She thought a moment, then looked at him in shock. "You drugged Erik?"

"You want to get out of here sometime before your wedding?"

"Of course."

"Then stop arguing and lets go. You don't know Erik's mind like I do - I have your best interest in mind. Trust me."

Christine nodded, tying her hair back in a ribbon that she kept in her pocket. She knew she had to do this - she had to get out to get to Raoul, Meg, Madame Giry...so why did it still seem like she was betraying Erik?

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Christine wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead as she leaned against the jagged wall. They had to have been working for over an hour or two by now, yet they never took a break, and she was devastatingly tired. She had hardly slept last night.

Yet she pressed on, knowing that they had little time to advance in their project before Erik would surely wake.

She was working beside Nadir again, clearing away warped and burnt wood and beams that had fallen when her whole body went ridged. She stood straight up, straining her ears, and grabbing Nadir's arm to silence his work. He tried to hear, yet shook his head. She pressed a finger to her lips to keep him quiet. Surely she had heard something not far above them?

Yes, she had! She heard a sob, for there was another one. Then more. Male sobs...Raoul?

"God, Christine...I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. I need you here with me! I'm working every moment that your gone to get you back to my side, yet it's killing me. I cant relax when I know you're down there. I cant sleep, knowing that you're with that monster..."

"Raoul!" Christine yelled some how, her breath taken from her. Yet he didn't hear. He kept talking to her, not having a clue that he really was.

"I love you more than life itself, Christine. Please come back to me. What will I do if that thing convinces you to love him? To stay with him? My life would be over; I would die! What if I don't get to you soon enough? What if it's too late? I could not deal with that pain! I need to reach you, yet at the end of the day, it seems like we still didn't get any where. What more can I do?" He cried out. Christine screamed his name, yet they fell upon deaf ears. She listened to faint footsteps come to where Raoul's voice had come from.

"Come on, de Changy, we're closing it down for the night. It's late. Go home, get some sleep. We'll be back in the morning. You're killing yourself like this." A gentle male voice that Christine didn't recognize said.

"I know...but you must understand. What is he doing to her? What is she going through? Not knowing, and fearing, is more torturous than this dull pain that I feel little of. I have to reach her!"

"And you will - just not tonight. She's survived this long, she'll make it a bit longer. She's a strong woman, Raoul. And she knows how to deal with him. She's dealt with that man for years by herself."

"That is no man! He is a horrid monster that took her from me!" Raoul roared in a way that it almost scared Christine. Never had she heard his voice get so angry and hurt.

"You'll get her back, Raoul - I promise. Nothing will happen to her. Come on, I'll drive you home in my carriage."

Christine listened to their receding footsteps through her screams. Why could they not hear her? Finally, Nadir placed a hand on her shoulder to silence her. "Tomorrow, Christine. He'll be back, so will you. You'll be reunited with him soon enough. But for now...that drug I gave to Erik only has so much power over him. We must be getting back."

Christine nodded, now feeling defeated and angry. Her chest swelled with fury for Erik. How could he do this? Did he not know how this was hurting Raoul, and in turn, hurting her as well? Or did he just not care now that he was getting what he wanted?

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"Are you all right?" Nadir asked cautiously as he entered Christine's bedroom. She hadn't left that room since they got back from the tunnels, though this must have been a full night plus worth of hours that she had been shut up for.

Christine, sitting on her bed, shook her head. "No. Raoul needs me. Raoul loves me, needs me to be with him...but I'm stuck here."

"We'll fix the tunnels - you'll be out of here in a matter of days."

"Nadir...it's not just that. I'm deeply hurt by Erik. I shouldn't have to secretly escape - he should just let me go! He shouldn't have taken me in the first place! He let me go - for me to leave him. I did, and worked weeks trying to release him from my heart as well. I know that no one can understand, but it was so hard to let go of him - my angel. And then I finally think I did so, and he does this - I'm reliving all the pain I just got through! Does he not see what he has been putting me through? Wrong decisions? I don't even know what I want anymore!"

"I can not reasonably explain his actions, for they are not reasonable at all. I just know that he's going through as much hurt and pain as you have been through."

"Yet he sure doesn't want me to know it. Every once in a while he'll open up to me, but much of the days, he says nothing, or only small things such as 'would you like more tea?'. If I must be here, I at least want to be noticed, to be talked to by him! Yet it's as if I would have to get deadly ill or seriously hurt to gain more than a passing glance from him! I don't understand it - I stand right before him, yet he continues with his needless work and studies."

"He's very complicated, and as much as you and I see that, he sees it even more. I believe that he himself don't even know what he could want - out of life, out of this situation...from you. It's hard on him, because he is even more blind than us. I make no excuses for him, and still find him in the wrong, but even so, I know this to be true."

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'_Yet it's as if I would have to get deadly ill or seriously hurt to gain more than a passing glance from him!'_ The words she had said in anger echoed in her mind, over and over again as she soaked her wearied body in the bath tub. Tiredness was eroding away her good sense. She knew she should put her furious mind to bed, yet she didn't. Instead, a cruel plan was created in her head. She knew it was stupid, she knew she shouldn't do it. She knew, but yet she didn't hesitate to step out of the bathtub, wrap a large towel around her, and run to her room. She knew she didn't have to worry about any peering eyes - Nadir was fast asleep and snoring from not getting any sleep the previous night, and Erik was in the kitchen, seeing how much longer the food could last. When his mind was busy and worried, he heard nothing but his own thoughts, this she knew.

Once in her room, Christine quickly put on all of her undergarments, then started picking out all the heaviest of clothing that she had in her closet, and laid them on the bed. When she was through, two shirts, three wool sweaters, and two wool skirts laid outstretched. She added on leggins to her already heavy undergarments, then layered on all the clothes. Then, with her free hanging curls still dripping wet from the now icy bathwater, she fled her room and slowly walked down the steps in her heavy boots and wool stockings. Then, she walked to where she had stood on that fateful day of the fire, not long ago. Backing up slowly, she readied herself. She didn't need to do too much, just enough. 'Don't go overboard', was what her mind kept repeating. She nodded. She'd have to be careful. She'd be able to pull it off, these things never looked too hard when it came to other people.

Then, with a fast running start, she ran towards the lake and jumped in it. Yet, the water was much deeper here than it had been where she aimed. Here, her feet tried to touch ground, yet it seemed lost beneath her feet. Scared now, she frantically tried to swim. It was so easy to people - she could learn! Yet all her feeble attempts led her to do one thing - simply splash the water and scare her more - she couldn't do it! She couldn't swim! She just needed to get into the water long enough to get the sniffles and play that up. This wasn't right! This wasn't what she planned - if she couldn't save herself, she'd be dead! Yet, she could do nothing but be conscious of her sinking. so, she started to scream. But it was to late; her mouth filled with water as her head kept being pushed down by an invisible force. She kicked harder, but to no avail. She was sinking, going under completely to leave no trace. She took a last breath before her head went down for good. Her hand stuck up, splashing and trying to warn anyone of what was happening. But soon, even her fingertips were under.

Just as her vision started to black out and lose consciousness, she heard a loud splash and then felt the tops of her fingers, now a few feet under the surface of the water, being squeezed together and pulled, before they slipped out of the grasp. She lost consciousness, and all went completely black.

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	11. Chapter 11

Erik, dripping from head to toe, clampered out of the water, holding the frail, limp body in his arms.

"Nadir! Nadir - get in here!" He shouted over and over again until the Persian emerged from his room. His sleepy eyes went large as he watched Erik stiffly bend over the chaise, and place Christine's still form on it. Erik's icy fingers pulled the chaise over, as close to the fire as possible. His teeth chattered, his body shook, his joints stiffened from the freezing water and just being in it for a matter of seconds.

Nadir ran over as Erik started to rip the layers of clothes on Christine, not even bothering with buttons.

"Help me!" Erik shouted hoarsely, his eyes wild from fear. It was a look Nadir had never seen before.

"I'll...I'll grab blankets." Nadir stuttered, running to fetch them. As he did, the words that Christine spoke to him came back. Had she done this on purpose? But it was so unlike her to do something like this. Had the darkness gotten to her so badly? Or had something else tortured her soul too much?

Either way, he could easily tell that the young woman's life was in serious danger now, and Erik wouldn't be going anywhere to leave her side any time soon.

When Nadir reached Erik's side again, he had a roaring fire going, and a light sheet over Christine, and many wet clothes abandoned in a heap. Had she really worn all those?

"Boil water, get more wood. More blankets than that, Nadir - she's as cold as ice! And hurry!" Erik yelled out orders. Nadir knew that this is how it would be from now on, yet he didn't care at the moment. All his concern went to Christine, just as much as Erik's did. Yet it was his conscience that bothered him about one thing more - if anything dreadful was to happen...what would he tell the Vicomte?

Erik never left her side. Whenever anything needed to be fetched, it was Nadir to do it. He never slept, just dozed as he knelt beside Christine's makeshift bed. No changes from her, no sign of getting well. Still unconscious, unaware of it all. Unaware of Erik's constant worried gaze that focused on only her. Unaware of the love that he put in everything he did involving her, while he sacrificed his food, sleep, and well being in turn. Nadir could see that Erik also worried about their food supply - how much longer could it hold? Not much, yet Erik would never budge from Christine's side, nor allow Nadir to go get more. He'd sacrifice every meal he could to make sure Christine had enough. This side of Erik was one Nadir had never seen. It surprised him, to say the least.

Yet, as the days started to go by, Nadir fully understood the cause of Erik's frantic worry - she wasn't showing signs of awakening. Sure, she'd talk in her sleep, or her eyes would flash open for a moment every once in a while, but that was the extent of it. His hours of sleep started to quickly abandon him from worry. But even his ground-pacing fright couldn't come close to matching Erik's.  
He wondered what would come of all this and what the results would be.

Erik sat beside Christine, hunched over as he stared into her face. He looked wracked with unbearable guilt. The toll of an unreturned love after all these years was finally catching up with him. He looked haggard and weary. Nadir noticed all this from the dark corner that he carefully concealed himself in so not to be noticed by sensitive eyes.

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Nadir's ears perked when he heard Erik's gruff voice sound for the first time since the accident of the lake happened, with the exception of barking out orders. It was hard to hear at first, but his voice grew louder as he went along. "From this haunted, twisted face...there's never been a hint at kindness, nor caring or...love. Only cold anger and repressed hurt. I look around in this coffin, for indeed, it is one, and I see no comfort...no escape. My eyes are trained to see in this darkness I call home and hell; yet deep within myself, I am blind. Here I remain seated lamely as I watch all my dreams die. Every dream I've ever had for so many years, the only ones that have ever mattered, are all contained in this small form, this still, shallow breathing body that lay before me. Time is slipping out of my grasp. I've had nothing but it for so long, and now it abandons me. Love...what an ill dream!" Erik shook his head as tears fell. "I'm driven to the sad conclusion that I have made many fatal errors in my time. So much so, that no goodness could ever improve me. But no pain could be ever deeper than this. Fate's revenge could never be worse than this. God could never had made a life cheaper than mine. There is no longer any hope that I could have loved her, and she could have...she could have set me free from all the evils that possess me. Oh, how I could have loved her, if she only allowed me to. But I shouldn't have tried to make her. The end only led to this. Long ago I should have seen this, should have been better prepared to lose it all. I am hollow and wasted without her love inside of me. If she does not remain in this world...then let the world be done with me."

Nadir seemed blown away with such a confession as this. Though a genius, a music composer, though a poet was Erik, never did Nadir hear Erik proclaim such a thing, nor uttered a word of undying romance that seemed to live ever in his heart until this moment. He bowed his head in mourning, feeling as if something almost pure and ever so beautiful, like a thorned rose, had withered and perished before his eyes. Indeed, how right he was!

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"Raoul...Raoul!" Christine's soft, yet frantic voice uttered. She kept saying it, all the time. 'Raoul, I need you', Raoul, where are you?' It seemed to never end. And for Erik, who listened to each word that managed to escape her fevered lips, it was torture, like little knives piercing his heart every time she'd speak unconsciously. He felt like he'd surely die if this went on. Already he felt half insane.

"Erik...please eat. Please! You can not go on like this!" Nadir insisted, holding a cup of tea and bread on a little platter as he stood behind Erik.

Erik turned around and took the cup and tea spoon, then started to pour it in to Christine's mouth with little spoonfuls.

"No Erik, she's fine. You've just done this. You must eat!" Nadir scolded. Erik kept spooning the warm liquid past Christine's lips.

"I can not eat. I am in ruins, I am going through endless torture. No, I can not eat." Erik answered with a soft voice.

"You will not live if you do not nuture your own needs!" Nadir yelled, losing his patience.

Erik put the tea down and stood up. He gazed down upon Christine's face as she softly spoke her lover's name. He walked a few paces towards the lake, farther than he'd been away from her bedside since she was placed there.

"I can't do this, Nadir! You say I will not live if I do not eat...but what's the point anymore of...of life if the woman over there - the woman whom I've truly loved for too long to go back to my empty life alone, if she can not love me? There's no hope that she would do so, and there never was. There are no longer any dreams to pursue; they have all died and perished. I look to myself for the fault of this unrequited love. Why should I expect her to love me? Look at me! Yes, I look at myself and despise all the things I see. I know she isn't the one that can set me free from my own made darkness, that is impossible, especially now, to escape from. Therefore I say, if she can not love the monster that is me...then she should be free to please her chosen lover."

With that, in deep sorrow and immense hurt, he sat back down again. He did not cease from amazing Nadir once more. Oh, if only Christine could hear what he spoke to and of her! Yet she still laid limply on the chaise, depending on it to hold all her weight from falling to the cold ground.

"Eat." Nadir whispered softly, offering out the bread as he faced Erik's back.

"There is not enough food for all of us to continue for more than a few days. I can not send you out; I need your help and I do not trust you enough. I can not go, for they scour the streets up there. I can not leave her side anyway. So I will give up my food for her to continue getting well."

"You can not continue to suffer like this!"

"I got her in to this. I promised she'd be happy - obviously if she purposely did this, I have failed. I failed her Nadir! I deserve to suffer and starve for her. I promised her for years I would if she needed me to. Now she needs me to, and I will not keep disappointing her, whether she's conscious of it or not."

"No, I wont let you do this. You welcome the pain your body is going through. You've skipped at least three meals, and your body is going to start consuming muscle if you keep it up. It hurts everything immensely, I have studied this! But you don't care, because in your twisted mind, you think you are the cause of every problem she has ever had!"

"My mind? It has always been you there to convince me that this is true. Finally I agree with you, and you go back and say I am still wrong!"

"Perhaps I have come to the conclusion that it I whom has been wrong."

"Then I come to the conclusion that you are nothing but fool. Leave the bread and leave my presence immediately." Erik commanded. Nadir did so, putting the platter on the ground, then left for his room .

Erik took the bread and ripped little pieces off of it, soaking them in the tea until they were mush. Then he fed them to Christine as he ignored the growls and fierce stabbing pains of his stomach.

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"Erik?" Nadir said in confusion as Erik frantically wiped Christine's forehead and pulled the sheets up tighter as her slight body moved and fought.

"She has a fever...she's burning up." He said in his gruff voice. Nadir ran to his aide.

"What may I do?"

"Go get water. We must get liquids into her."

"They say to starve a fever..." Nadir said, pausing.

"But not to dehydrate it! Go!"

Nadir quickly fled into the kitchen as if Erik's flaring temper has set him aflame. He soon came back with a pitcher of water and a small cup. Erik was already sitting upon the chaise, Christine's head and shoulders in his arms.

"Give me the cup." Erik said in urgency. He did so, and Erik held up her head as he poured the water slowly down her throat. She coughed and fought it, even succeeding in hitting the cup and splashing the water all over Erik, but he seemed not to notice his shirt soaked. He simply poured more water and tried again as she fought more.

"Go rip up a sheet in thin strips. Soak them in cool water and bring them back to me as quickly as you can." Were Erik's next words. Nadir ran to do this as well.

"Shh...drink Christine. Drink my angel. I promised to get you better, and by God I will, even if it kills me in the process." Nadir heard as he fled.

"We must get her to a doctor. She can not go on without medical care - real medical care, not just gypsy remedies." Erik said, looking at Nadir straight in the eye and matter of fact.

"We cant! Not unless you truly do want to die."

"Is it not worth it? For her to live, even at the price over me? She could die, Nadir, do you not see that? She needs a doctor!"

"Please Erik...one more day. Just give it until sundown tomorrow. Then, if there still has been no improvement, I'll take her to the doctor's. But please, consider one more day."

Erik thought it over, staring into Christine's face. "I don't want to risk her life again for mine."

"Don't. Just give yourself enough confidence to believe that you can cure her yourself. If you can't by tomorrow evening, then we'll take her into professional arms to get her well again. Will you do so?"

He hesitated, but eventually Erik nodded. Nadir sighed in relief. After three days of no change, there was little hope that one more would make much of a difference, if at all. But Nadir wanted to give Erik one more shot before he surrendered to the police. He returned to his room to pray without cease that Christine Daae would cure herself, or allow her Angel to treat her.


	12. Chapter 12

Erik's jaw was set firmly, looking quite upset. Bad sign, Nadir figured as he came out of his bedroom the next day. He went into the kitchen , then came back to stand behind the two. In his hands he held bread and tea.

"Please?" Nadir asked in a hopeful voice.

"We talked about this yesterday, Nadir, and the day before, and the day before that." Erik groaned, not even turning to him.

"Erik..."

Erik stood up, walking away from the chaise as he ran his hand through his long hair. "I can not take this any more! Day and night I listen to her speak his name, profess her need for him to be here. I must let her go, this is torture enough. But to listen to her beg for another man? The man I hate more than any other? I know I deserve it, but I don't know if my sanity can hold up under this!" Erik railed.  
Nadir looked at him with a patient look. "She heard him."

Erik stopped pacing and turned to him, looking directly into the Persian's dark eyes with his own confused ones. "What?"

"I wasn't going to tell you. But...the day before this happened, i...put some of those herbs in your tea - those special ones that make you sleep. When they worked on you, I took Christine and led her to the tunnels to clear them out. I was helping her to escape, and then I was going to come back and help you escape too, before the police would find you. But the tunnels were far worse than I thought they were, and we did veru little in the hours we worked. Just as she was becoming very much wearied, we heard the Vicomte sobbing on the floor above us. He spoke to her, not knowing she was at hos feet. He spoke on how desperately he needed her and loved her. How he wasn't sleeping, eating, how he was killing yourself. Ironically enough, though the two of you be rivals and enemies of all sorts, you do both act the same. She heard him, screamed for him, but he did not hear her cries. It is of this reason why she locked herself in her room that day. I spoke with her, she said many things. How she returned de Changy's feelings, and how unspeakably hurt she was that you would know of how it hurt both of them and yet refuse to release her. She felt like you, her angel in her eyes, betrayed her at last. And then, the tone of the conversation turned, and she wondered what she did for you to ignore her all the time, and not bother with her, even though she was down here with you. And then she said...she said she'd have to be deathly ill or along those lines for you to pay any true attention to her on your own accord."

"Deathly ill?" Erik whispered in his own shock, looking back in to the face of Christine. "This is even more my fault than I thought before?"

"It was all our faults. Yours, mine, de Changy's, hers. We all had a hand in this."

Erik shook his head, walking over to Christine, his eyes not leaving her. "Why? Why would she want any of my attention? She never acted it! I thought she hated and dispised me. I stayed away so she could come to peace with this home, if not any other thing that resides here. I didn't know she wanted me to look upon her, or to become her angel once more! I thought she would think I betrayed her by impostering the Angel of Music - I thought she wished him dead; to descend into Hell again! How was I to know she thought differently? She never showed signs of such!" Erik whirled around to look upon Nadir. "Did she tell you?"

"No Erik , she did not until the day of the 'accident.' I knew nothing of these feelings thast she harbored."

"Did you see the signs? Was it just me who was so blind?"

Nadir shook his head. "I missed them all. I thought it purely your doing that she came out of her room at all. The fact that she was seeking comfort and old times from you was just as a surprise to me as it was to you."

Erik groaned, pacing once more, his ears picking up on Christine's softly mumbled words. "She continues to call him." Erik whispered. "How could she have wanted me to see her when all she calls is him?"

Nadir shook his head, for he had no answer.

"Her fever broke on the eve of dawn. She should be out of danger now, and waking, with hope, soon. Take care of her. You surely know what all to do." With that, Erik walked away.

"Praise Allah that she is well, but I swear Erik, I will not do the task that you request of me. I'll let her be just as she is if you walk away."

"You wouldnt. You care to much for people to do such a thing."

"I care more for you as my dear friend than of any other. I will not allow you to leave, do you hear what I speak of, Erik? I will not care for her if you leave!"

Erik paused, staring at Nadir to see if he was indeed speaking the truth. To his shock, he saw all seriousness in Nadir's eyes. He sighed, then sat down by the chaise. "Fine." he muttered.

Nadir nodded. "Excuse me." He said quietly before leaving.

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"Erik? Erik where are you? Why are you not here with me?" Erik's ears perked at hearing his name be graced from Christine's pale pink lips. Never had she talked of him. "Erik? You promised...you promised. You said...my guardian...my angel. You promised...be with me always. Why...why have you abandoned me? Erik!"

Erik's heart lurched. Nadir, not standing too far away, winced. He knew that those words were enough to send Erik over the edge; to kill him.

She moaned as she moved her head side to side, as if fighting to find him. Her hand flew out towards Erik, and he caught it, inclosing it with both of his warm hands. As soon as he did, she mumbled out his name again with a half smile, then fell back to sleep. Erik continued to watch her, half full of guilt, the other with great curiosity in what was going on in that mind of hers.

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Vision blurry, her surroundings were of all colors and no shapes. Squinting, her world came more into focus. She concentrated on the colors near her. There was black and pale colors. Even before it took shape, she knew what it was. She had seen it many times while she had been sleeping. She'd awake to a blurry, moving form above her, and see a burning golden halo above it. But the halo was gone now, and the shape was coming more and more into her focus. She reached out, but her heavy hand felt nothing put air as she wiggled her stiff fingers.

"Erik?" She whispered, her voice cracking from a painful throat. Her vison near in tact, she saw his head fly up from his hands. His eyes were red, and he looked like he was not all there.

"You're awake?" Breath that he had suppressed in him when he heard her voice rushed out in relief. "Oh, thank God!" He breathed, not knowing what else to say.

"Was I asleep that long?" She asked in confusion.

"Long? You were out for four days! You caught fever from the cold water of the lake and I have been caring for you since. Nadir helped...a little." Erik said, taking her hand and warming it within his.

"The lake? You mean...you mean that wasn't a dream?"

"That was no dream. You nearly drowned!"

"But you saved me?"

"Of course...but God, Christine...why did you do such a thing? To hurt me for hurting your precious Vicomte? You nearly died! Or did you do so because you know that your death would be the only thing that could ever truly kill me?"

Christine looked at him in horror. She was just opening her mouth to respond when Erik quickly stood up, obviously furious. Before she could explain, Nadir came out of his room.

"She's awake." Erik said in a low, angry tone before walking away and slamming the door.

Christine had tears in her eyes as Erik's words screamed in her ears.

"I have prayed none stop for you to return to health." Nadir said, sitting where Erik just had.

"Has he long been like this?" She whispered.

"Erik? He's been mad, of course. Hurt as well."

"So he didn't..."

"Do not mistake my words, Christine. I told you he was hurt, not that he never stopped caring for you. If he wasn't here, you would be surely dead. He has not left this chair for more than a few paces the entire time you have lain there. He has not eaten a bite, nor slept in the slightest."

She heard a door open again, and knew Erik was somewhere behind her, though she had not the strength enough to see. She saw Nadir stare awaitingly at him.

"Get yourself well and strong, Miss Daae. I have quite the surprise for you, that you will like immensely. And you don't even have to attempt death to get it." Erik said in a bitter tone, then left once more.

Christine looked confused at Nadir, but he made no attempt at revealing Erik's meaning.

He had been solely on Christine's side before, not being able to get into Erik's mind any more. But now...now things were different. There was a strong, repaired bond between he and the Phantom. He decided that Erik must know what he'd doing, and to stay out of it. Therefore, though he knew exactly what the _surprise_ of Erik's would be, he told her nothing.

"Gain your strength, Christine, you will need it." and then he left to fetch her the food that he could spare.


	13. Chapter 13

"She is out of danger's way, and she will have no need to consume your food after you announce your '_surprise'_. Eat now, Erik." Nadir said, grabbing a tray and putting the kettle over the little fire that Erik had just made.

Yet, though despite Nadir's words being true, Erik simply turned away. "I am in no mood to eat."

"But you should rejoice! She is better!"

"She is better from something that I brought upon her."

"So did I. If I hadn't brought her to the tunnels, never would this have come to mind. Does that mean I should stop eating?"

"You could stand to lose some weight, in all honesty. You are indeed as fat as Piangi was."

"Before he was killed, that is." Nadir added, though not in anger.

"Yeah, before I killed him for the sake of Christine. The sake of the woman who cares not, appreciates nothing, blind to all I do and feel. It matters not, though. I wont be having to worry about her soon enough."

And with that, Erik left the kitchen, and went as far as he could from Christine's sight.

XXX

It was late day of the day after she had awakened, this Christine could feel. Though Nadir insisted that Erik had restlessly cared for her by night and day, it wasn't he that helped her now. Truthfully, she saw him but rarely. He cooped himself up in his old bedroom and hardly left it.

She, on the other hand, was still lying on the chaise. Twice Nadir got her up and helped her shaky legs to hold her up and to walk small steps.

Dread filled Christine's heart. Erik told her she'd like his surprise, yet she felt nothing but queasy over it ever since he first spoke of it. She prayed he'd hold it off, but with each passing hour she felt it get closer as her heart grew heavy.

Finally, Erik made his appearence. He looked well suited, and had a pocket watch in his hand; staring at it.

"Erik?" she said in a sweet, soft voice.

"Nadir tells me you are stronger and well." He said in a strange voice, not looking at her.

"I believe he is correct."

"Good, good. Then it is time that I bestow my surprise unto you." he said, then produced a large suitcase. "This is for you. You'll use it immediently. You'll go in your room and put in the suitcase what ever you want to keep. Whatever you do not value, keep here. Choose wisely, you will not be coming back if you forget something." he said sternly.

Christine's eyes went wide, and she could have swore her heart stopped. "What?" she said, choking on her sobs.

"You do not think I will let you come back, do you? When you return, you will finish preparations for your wedding of next week. If you come here with a ring on your finger, I will never allow you in. And if you come back with child, you would put an end to my existence. I pray you have at least enough care for me to not do so. Therefore, I suggest you take a good look around here, Miss Daae." She could tell it was difficult for him to keep the stern look upon his face and in his voice, for his eyes were red and watery, his words cracking and hard to come.

Yet he was nothing compared to her. Christine's face were already soaked with tears.

"Come now , cry not so! This is what you begged for! To leave and never have the displeasure of returning. My lair has been disgraced, but it does not allow mocking by any one living. You will get what you were willing to die for - you will go above ground again, and never lay eyes upon me. Now go pack, I have things to get done and a lair to prepare before the mobs come."

Christine's throat was restricted, making it near impossible to swallow, let along to cry out against his accusions. Instead, she obediently nodded, then got up. Nadir ran to her aid, helping her to her room, then coming back to Erik.

"Come, you must pack too. Like you said, the mobs..." Nadir said.

"I am not going anywhere. I stay here, with my organ in my home."

"But once she returned, there will be no stopping them from coming! You must leave!"

"No, but you must. I wont risk them thinking you are apart of this. You are my only friend left, I must save you from my own fate while I can."

"They will not kill you, you realize this? Not at first, anyway. They'll torture you until you wish you were dead. If the Vicomte has anything to do with this, it'll be ten times worse."

"Nothing is worse than what I am about to do, Nadir. Have you not understood that yet?"

With that, Erik walked to Christine's door and peeked in. He saw her, her clothes scattered all around her on her swan bed and her suitcase by her feet. Tears streaked down her light pink cheeks and down her neck. Her breathing was shallow. He worried if this wasn't too much for her, that she may have a relapse, but then his undeniable temper and anger replaced his concern.

"Best hurry, or you'll be walking in pitch dark back to your home tonight. I have planned it that you will meet de Changy when you are up there again. But if you really want to mope the day away to spite me, I don't mind. You have done worse to me." He said in a cold voice. She looked up at him in disbelief, then started to sob. He closed the door and walked to the kitchen, warming his hands.

"She'll be a few minutes more." Erik said to Nadir casually. "You ready to go as well?"

"I wish I wasn't. I rather stand here and do what I can to help you."

"And be killed? Not in my lair, you wont. I haven't shed your blood here yet, and I don't plan to. You will go home to your little apartment across town where I found you before any of this happened, and go living your life after mine is over. I request one thing of you though, that you must promise me you'll do."

"Yes?"

"Watch out for her." He said, nodding to the door. "Who knows? If I get real lucky, she may even feel a fleeting amount of remorse for my death."

"You know she loves you Erik, in her own way."

"She tried to kill herself in a lake than rather be with me one more day!" Erik exclaimed.

"She loves you." Nadir repeated, softer. He watched as the anger in Erik's eyes melted. But then Erik turned and awaited for his love by the organ. He played a few notes, looking at a paper in front of him. Nadir recognized it as the piece of work he was working on before Christine had come.

Finally, broken hearted, Christine emerged from her room, holding the suitcase. She walked up to the organ, awaiting direction. Nadir quickly left for the kitchen to give them privacy.

"I'm packed." she said in a hoarse whisper.

Erik nodded, standing up briefly. "As soon as Nadir comes back, he will show you the way through the tunnels as I have just instructed him in doing. If your fiancé is not at the theater when you reach ground, Nadir shall order you a carriage and take you to the de Changy estate. You will be taken care of until you step foot inside the house that is his."

Christine was about to nod when she cried out, "If this is really to be our last meeting, we can not part like this! I can not leave you and let you be forever and eternally mad at me! I care to much for you to let you do so. I know my recent actions may be unforgivable, but please know they were not based upon the intentions that you are convinced of! Do not look upon me in hatred, my Angel, I could not bare it."

Erik looked away, doing his best in keeping his emotions in tact. "I am not your angel, I am death's. I am a horrid man, not the one you chose to see growing up, and as you stand before me now."

She shook her head. "You are anything but. No on in this world could know you as great as I do; I have been through the good times and the wretched with you - if I say you are good, it must be true."

"I wish it were not. Can you not be angered by me? Must you look at me with those pleading eyes as if I am doing wrong instead of good at last?" How could he let her go if she kept looking at him like that?

Yet she just stared at him as tears threatened to overflow once more.

"If you can not be mad...then let me make one request. Or perhaps I could tell you what I am really hoping for and then perhaps you may think I am wicked."

"Tell me all." She pleaded.

"I ask of you just one thing...to you find it one day in your heart to...to miss me when I'm gone."

"What else do you wish to tell me?"

Erik's eyes darted around as if he wished for escape, yet then he sighed and looked upon her. "When he's holding you...know that every time it's killing me. Remember me, then let my memory be the reason that you can not fall sleep in the dark of night. Every time you feel his touch, I pray to God this one last time that it won't ever be enough, because perhaps I've touched your heart so deep inside that I shall forever remain there."

With these words ending, Nadir walked in to see Christine looking stunned at Erik. Whether that was good or bad, he could only fear Erik had gone to far. "Come Christine, night has already fallen."

Erik looked away from her, opposite the hidden tunnel that Nadir stood by. Christine felt trapped between two worlds. When Erik made to sign that he acknowledged her any longer, she walked to Nadir, though she kept looking back.

Nadir pulled away the long scarlet curtain from the dark hole she was supposed to plunge herself into. Nadir, sensing her fright, went in first.

"Follow me closely." He warned, the curtain falling behind them, the lair sealed off from them. A tear was shed for this as her heart felt heavier than the suitcase in her hand.

"Miss me...for I love you so completely."

Christine stopped walking. Had she just heard Erik speak those words, or was it her imagination at play as she fumbled in the thick darkness?

"We must press on." Nadir, a foot or two ahead of her said. She nodded, knowing that she may never be sure.

XOXOXOXO

When Nadir and Christine reached ground level, they found themselves at the back of the opera house, though here it was early morning instead of twilight like they had thought in the lair. Nadir helped a still fumbling and weak Christine to the front, when she then spotted a very dirty Raoul, all alone, on his hands and knees, his chest heaving. She screamed out to him, tried to run yet her illness had prevented that. She fell upon her knees, but Raoul was there in a flash to scoop her up in his arms and protect her.

And of course he wanted to charge down to the cellars to kill her captor. She pleaded that this was impossible, that he had fled five days ago, and they only now found a secret way on how to get out. She said he must be clean up past London by now.

Nadir heard this as he was walking away, and silently thanked her. He knew that she somehow managed to possess care and love, even if it may be small, for Erik.

Raoul brought Christine home and had her looked at by professional doctors, but every one said that whomever cared for her while she was taken captive had done everything right, and there was nothing left to do but let her own body come back to full strength again once more.

Days passed. Raoul would take Christine on carriage rides and to the park on lovelier days. Every once in a while, she could spot Nadir watching her, though concealed and far away so no one else noticed. She didn't have to wonder why he did this, for she knew already; it was because of Erik.

Strange enough, as the days went by, though toted on constantly my nurses and maids, Christine grew undeniably lonely again. She found herself thinking back to the lair, which she managed to save after pleading with Raoul to let it be; after all, Erik would not return and he was once her Angel whom dwelt there.

Though she seen Nadir often, the two never had any opportunities to speak with one another, so she didn't know how Erik was faring these days. She found herself wondering about it often.

The words in which he spoke upon their last meeting did indeed haunt her each night. She'd dream of him and the lair when she could sleep, think of his memory when she could not. Every time Raoul took her in his arms, she felt a void and a stabbing in her heart, knowing Erik must be feeling similar. Raoul's hand on her arm felt more like wind breezing against her skin rather than the warmth of his palm. She felt awkward and almost guilty around him, as if Erik's haunting words that were kept secret was something that she was actually hiding from him.

The wedding day was put off. Raoul told her when she had regained all strength and recent events were put out of her mind, they would then be wed. But as days passed, still she did not feel better nor whole again.

Finally, she could take her insanity no longer. Through the day she spent her time devising her plan. Late afternoon was spent writing the longest, hardest, and most painful letter ever written. And at nightfall, she ordered a carriage.

XXXXX

She stood at the gates that he had lowered, most likely for her and not the mobs. She watched him, the dark figure, that paced back and forth in front of the fire. '_He must be in deep daydreams.' _She thought,_ "for him not to hear me and notice me yet.' _Really, she took pains for her to be loud. She scraped her feet, kicked a stone, fell against the hard iron bars.

Finally, she called his name, or rather sang it out. His head jerked over to her direction. He ran in haste to her, grabbing the bars, looking confused, anger, hurt...defeated.

"Why are you here? Did I not say it clear enough that I would not allow you in my presence?" He looked quickly at her upturned hand and saw a silver band there. "I said you were not to come if you bear a ring or a child. I see you indeed have a ring, and of the latter, I can only find out soon enough. Why do you come?"

Christine shook her head patiently at his anger and smiled. "You can be a fool at times, you know that, Erik? You jump to conclusions and assume everything before I can say the opposite."

"You came to insult me in my lair?"

"No."

"Then why? You are forbad to be here, which means I'm not the only fool standing here."

"Indeed, you are at this moment. I do bear a ring on my wedding finger, as you saw. But looker closer, and perhaps it's beauty will melt the cold and anger in your heart."

His gaze traveled from her warm brown eyes and to her offered hand, now palm down. His eyes grew wide in amazement as he found himself staring down at a silver band with circular diamonds. It was not the Vicomte's ring she bore, but his own.

"How did you..." He fumbled, losing his composure.

"You said to take all that I wanted. I took the white dress you gave me on my fourteenth birthday, and I took the ring, for it was purely you, and I needed at least something of you to survive, though it not be fair to Raoul. The truth is, I never was able to give Raoul my whole heart, for I didn't own it all for me to give away. Long ago you took a large part of it and claimed it yours. Through everything, you never gave it back. I wanted you to for so long, but you never did. Now I don't want you to give it to me...but to take the rest. I know now that no one may have my heart, for it is not mine to give any longer. I know I have no right to wear this ring without your permission, but perhaps you could grant it?"

Erik looked back in to her eyes, his own full of pain. "Why, Christine? Why did you jump into the lake?"

"I never tried to kill myself to take revenge or flee from you, Erik. I just wanted you to be with me, to take notice that the one person you love and the one who returns it stands in front of you. I could not tell you in words, for the matter silenced me. You never seemed to catch my hints. So I wanted to catch chill from the water, thinking you'd help me back to health, and perhaps realize that your dreams can come true if you just take the blindfold from your eyes. It was an accident that the illness went as far as it did. I never meant to worry you so, nor hurt you."

He shook his head. "You have no permission to wear that ring-"

A gasp came from Christine in hurt, as if he had slapped her. She had just poured out her heart to him!

He grinned. "Who is the assuming one now? Let me finish, Christine, for I shall never have the nerve to say it if not now." He pulled down a switch that made the trellis lift up. They now stood only a foot apart, staring at each other. "You have no permission to wear the ring...unless you will have the man with it."

Christine gasped again in surprise as tears sprang to her eyes. She knew not what to do, but she jumped upon her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.

"What made you come back, Christine?" He whispered in her ear.

She grinned before saying, "Because I missed you."

_**Fin**_


	14. Author's Note

April 19th, 2007:

I've just finished revising this story completely through, for any future reader's enjoyment. I think it goes much smoother now. I've already finished editing through the sequel to this story, To Fall To Pieces, of which I plan to continue writing shortly.

-Updated,

G.A


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